Art Fair Philippines 2024: What to See at The Link, Makati
Plus, how to avoid the long lines.
(SPOT.ph) It's that time of the year! Art Fair Philippines 2024 is officially opening on Friday, February 16, at The Link in Makati City; and runs for the whole weekend.
With over 55 exhibitors from the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as other featured exhibits and projects, the whole affair can be pretty overwhelming. And, like in previous years, the shows are spread out over five floors—and, if you're not careful, you can end up in a fire exit (we exaggerate, of course) or a wine stall (though that's not too bad). To get you ready for the upcoming Art Fair Philippines weekend, we give you a glimpse of what to expect.
Art Fair Philippines 2024: What to See and How to Navigate
Art Fair Philippines 4/F: Reception, Bag Deposit, and Restroom
First of all, Art Fair Philippines is happening at The Link in Makati City. It's right in front of The Landmark, or you can just pin The Link on Waze or Grab.
Reception is on the fourth floor, and you can get there via The Link's elevator beside Mercury Drug. However, as that's the main entrance, it's possible that the lines are long when you get there.
Alternatively, you can get there through The Landmark's Bridgeway, which is located on the third floor of the mall (near the lingerie area).
The fourth floor is also where you can get your tickets or show the e-tickets you bought online. "Large, heavy, or bulky bags" as well as umbrellas and selfie sticks are also not allowed within the Art Fair Philippines premises, but you can leave them at the Bag Deposit area.
On the same floor as Art Fair Philippines' Reception area are retail brands like Lakat Sustainables and Artwork. There are also publications like Vibal Foundation, and a gallery for memorabilia and collectibles called Archivo 1984.
ArtFairPH/Residencies, which is an artist residency program that started in 2021, is also on the fourth floor. It features the projects and works-in-progress of Mark Salvatus for Manila Observatory in Quezon City, Manila; Anna Miguel Cervantes for Linangan Art Residency in Alfonso, Cavite; Jett Ilagan for Emerging Islands in San Juan, La Union; Julian Tapales for Butanding Barrio in Puerto Princesa, Palawan; and Renz Baluyot for Orange Project in Bacolod, Negros Occidental. Joining them are two international artists, Iseult Perrault and Petr Hajdyla, who completed a residency program at Orange Project.
5/F: Galleries, a Mural, and Wine and Pastry
The galleries on the fifth floor of Art Fair Philippines are: Art Agenda, Silverlens, Mind Set Art Center, Shukado+Gallery Scena, Nunu Fine Art, The Columns Gallery, Richard Koh Fine Art, Art Underground, Ysobel Art Gallery, Kobayashi Gallery, Artemis Art, Tarzeer Pictures, Mono8, Altro Mondo Gallery, Avellana Art Gallery, Paseo Art Gallery, Ames Yavuz, J Studio, Kaida Contemporary, Art Cube Gallery, Vin Gallery, Galeria Cayon, Triangulum, and Galeria Paloma.
You can also find one of two murals by Tuklas, a collaboration of muralists that convened at Alfredo Esquillo’s Eskinita Art Farm, on the fifth floor.
For food and drinks, the floor has Sula Spirits, Origine Wines, and Fairmont.
6/F: More Galleries, Another Mural, and Coffee
Also dedicated to exhibitions by local and international galleries, the sixth floor houses: Qube Gallery, Vantage Contemporary, Gajah Gallery, Superduper Art Gallery, The Crucible Gallery, Metro Gallery, Orange Project, White Walls Gallery, Canvas, Secret Fresh Gallery, Pinto Art Museum and Arboretum, Gallery Kogure, Art Verite Gallery, Art Lounge Manila, Art Elaan, Village Art Gallery, Boston Art Gallery, Art for Space, Galerie Stephanie, Leon Gallery, Gravity Art Space, and Yod Gallery.
Another mural by Tuklas is on the sixth floor.
If you're looking for your caffeine fix, head to Toby's Estate near the elevator. For something stronger, there's Brujo Craft Brew and Arc Gin.
7/F: ArtFairPH/Projects, /Digital, /Photo, /Talks
If the fifth and sixth floors of The Link are for exhibitions curated by galleries, the seventh floor is for the artists commissioned by Art Fair Philippines. These are the ones listed under the ArtFair/Projects program: Jigger Cruz, Jonathan Ching, Mr.StarCity, Eugenio Ampudia, Andreea Medar, Gean Brix Garcia, Rod Paras Perez, and Taloi Havini.
Also featured are creative spaces outside the mainstream gallery format. This year's selection for ArtFairPH/Incubators are: Authenticity Zero Collective, Istorya Studios, Manila Illustration Fair, Pangasinan Group, Talyer 15, and The Empty Scholar.
There's also a special group exhibit on abstract works by women artists from 1969 to 1989 and the 10th-anniversary show of the Karen H. Montinola Selection. In celebration of the Karen H. Montinola Selection's 10th anniversary, the retrospective exhibit showcases the previously exhibited works vis-a-vis the new works of the grant recipients.
Shows for ArtFairPH/Digital, which are by CryptoArtPH and Daata; and ArtFairPH/Photo by FotomotoPH are also on the seventh floor. The venue for /Talks, which are a series of seminars and workshops by art practitioners, is an enclosed space on the seventh.
Other galleries are: Modeka Art, Cartellino, and Yiri Arts.
The Link's Roof Deck
Rizome, an industrial design and construction company dedicated to building from sustainable materials, is behind the infrastructure on the roof deck. It's where you can find tables and chairs for hanging out and food concessionaires, including RD Cafe, Don Papa Rum, Nuki Churros and Gelato, Rafik's Shawarma, Monkey Eagle Brewery, Sula Spirits, and West 103.
Restrooms and asmoking area are also on the RD.
Art Fair Philippines 2024 is from February 16 to 18, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., at The Link, Parkway Drive, Ayala Center, Makati City. For more information, visit Art Fair Philippines' website.